Motor-starting device.



No. 688,985. Patented Dec. l7, l90l.

E. P. CDWLES.

MOTOR STARTING DEVICE.

(Application filed my 20, 1901.)

(No Model.)

awvzwtoz awe-away 5 No. 688,985. I P atented Dac. I7, I90]. E. P. COWLES.

MOTOR STARTING DE'VIGE;

(Application fllad May 20, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Shasta-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES FaTisNT @rrrcni.

EDWARD P. COVVLES, OF W'ARREN, OHIO.

MOTOR-STARTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 688,985, dated December 17, 1901.

Application filed May 20, 1901 T0 ctZZ whom it may" concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. COWLES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Warten, in the county of Trumbull, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor- Starting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for automatically starting hydrocarbon explosivemotors and other motors, such as alternatingcurrent induction-motors and single-acting steam-engines, which require an initial impulse from some auxiliary source in order to bring them into a position or condition where they will be self-acting.

The invention is also applicable to some forms of machines other than motors which require an auxiliary starting power.

, The invention comprises a device having a normally-energized spring or other source of stored energy arranged when released to start' the motor into rotation and means operated by the motor after the latter is actuated by its own power for automatically restoring the said device to its energized state. The starting device after becoming reenergized is antomatically disconnected from the motor, and the parts are automatically locked ready for action when it is again necessary to start the motor.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a starting device, illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, partly in section and partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the operating-gear, showing the cams,

starting-lever, and centering-tooth. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4. of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view showing a rack having internal teeth which maybe employed for operating the device instead of the gear-wheel. Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the operation of said device. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the forward end of the rack and the releasing and locking arm; and Fig. 9 is a section through the mutilated portion of the gear, showing a series of movable teeth adapted to fill said portion.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a frame in which the parts comprisingthe device are mounted. This frame, as shown, consists of a light tubular casing the walls of which Serial No. 61,036. (No man.)

are suitably cut away to permit the working parts of the device to extend through it. The frame may, however, take any other form to suit it for different situations or modified constructions. \Vithin the casing is arranged a mutilated operating-gear 1, which is sup ported upon a pair of crank-arms 2, the latter being journaled in the opposite sides 3 and 4, respectively, of the casing. The outer ends of these crank-arms are connected to the gear by a stud 5, which is rigidly secured to the arms and to the gear. To the stud 5, on opposite sides of the gear, are connected by suitable ball-bearings a pair of piston-rods 6 and 7, the opposite ends of the rods being pivotally mounted upon knife-edge bearings 8, which latter are arranged within a cross-head 9, movable longitudinally within the inclosed end A of the casing. This cross-head, as shown, is in the form of a cup, having an annular flange 10, between which and the end 11 of the casing is interposed a helical spring 12, which spring normally tends to force the crosshead and piston-rods forward-that is, to the right in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. This crosshead is guided upon a guide-rod 13, extending longitudinally within the center of the casing and through a suitable opening in the cross-head, the opposite ends of the rod being secured to the head 11 and a fixed crosspiece 14, extending between the sides of the casing. To avoid friction, rollers 15 are arranged within the cross-head and bear upon the guide-rod. The shaft 16 of the motor or other machine which is to be operated by the starting device extends through a suitable opening 17 in the side of the casing andis provided with a pinion 18, adapted to mesh with the operating-gear when the latter is in motion. At one part in the circumference of the operating gear several of the teeth are omitted, this mutilated portion being indicated by the reference-numeral 19. When the operating-gear is stopped in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, this mutilated portion of the gear is opposite the teeth of the pinion, and the latter is therefore disengaged from the starting device. The gear is The ICO

, the pinion the projection 20 will engage the during the rotation of the gear.

arm upon the lever, and in this position the crank-pin 5 will be at a point slightly beyond the dead-center at the commencement of the forward stroke of the piston-rods, as shown in Fig. 2. In this-position the spring is compressed and tends to force the piston-rods forward and rotate the wheel; but such movement is prevented by the engagement of the stop projection with the lever-arm. With this arrangement it will be seen that when the lever is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 the wheel will be released and will be turned through a half-revolution by the piston-rods, which will be driven forward with great force by the expansion of the spring. During this semirevolution of the gear the teeth of the pinion will mesh with the teeth of the gear and the motor-shaft will be rotated a number of times, depending upon the relative diameters of the pinion and the gear. The motor will thus be started by the semirevolution of the gear, and as the gear and pinion will remain in mesh after the motor starts it follows that the pinion, still moving in the same direction and driven by the motor, will rotate the gear until it makes one complete revolution-that is, until the mutilated portion of the gear is again opposite the teeth of the pinion. This rotation of the gear causes the piston-rods to compress the spring, and thus restore it to its energized state. When the pinion comes opposite the mutilated portion of the gear, the crank-pin will, as before, be in a position just beyond the dead-center at the commencement of the forward stroke; but the wheel will be prevented from rotation by the engagement of the lever with the stop projection, the lever having been moved backward to its original position After the gear has made one complete revolution itwill be seen that the motor will then be free to rotate without engaging the gear.

The lever 22 may be moved in both directions by hand to release and stop the starting device; but means are provided for automatically returning the lever to its normal position after the device is started. As shown, a cam 24 is arranged upon a spoke of the wheel a short distance from the rim, which cam when the wheel has made a partial revolution engages the arm 21 upon the lever and forces it outward into its normal position near the rim, where it will be engaged by the stop projection 20 when the wheel has made a complete revolution.

In starting an explosive-motor its reliefvalve should be opened in order to prevent compression within the cylinder and permit the motor to move easily under the influence of the spring, and at the proper time the reliefvalve should be closed when the motor is ready to act by its own power. To accomplish this, the relief-valve 25 is connected by a rod 26 to the lever 22 in such manner that when the lever is moved in the direction of the arrow the relief-valve of the motor will be opened, and when moved in the opposite direction the relief valve will be closed. When the lever is moved to release the wheel, the relief-valve will therefore be opened, and it will remain open until the cam 24 engages the stop-arm upon the lever, when the reliefvalve will be automatically closed. This cam 21 is so arranged upon the wheel that it will operate the lever to close the relief-valve between the first and second revolutions of the motor in order to cause compression at the proper time for starting the motor.

In order to prevent the operator from throwing the lever back too quickly after the device is started, an inwardly-projecting cam 27 is arranged upon the wheel,extending from the stop projection 20 to a point opposite the cam 24. After the device is started it will be seen that the cam 27 will prevent the return of the arm 21 until the latter is forced over by the cam 24: and that the operator can therefore not move the lever to its normal position after starting until the motor has r0- tated sufficiently to become self-operating.

It may happen that when the motor-pinion and gear-wheel are stopped the teeth upon the former will not be in position to mesh with the latter when the wheel is released. In such case as the spring is powerful damage might result from locking of the teeth. In order to prevent any trouble from this source and to insure the proper engagement of the teeth in every instance, I provide a movable centering-tooth 28, having a knifeedge. This tooth, as shown, is mounted upon a rod 29, supported in brackets 30 and 31 upon the wheel. An opening 32 is formed in the rim of the wheel in the part from which the teeth are'removed, and this centeringtooth is movable through the opening, its sharpened end being normally flush with the outer face of the rim. A spring 33 tends to hold the tooth normally in its retracted position, as shown. The teeth 3i of the motor-pinion are also slightlylonger than usual and brought to a knife-edge. It will be seen that when the center tooth is moved outward if the teeth of the pinion are not in position to engage the teeth of the gear the pinion will be rotated by the centering-tooth into proper position. As the centering-tooth and the pin ion-teeth are formed with knife-edges, they cannot abut against one another, and the pinion will necessarily be rotated. This move ment of the centering-tooth is automatically accomplished by the movement of the lever 22, said lever having a projection 35 arranged to force the centering-tooth outward when the lever is moved to start the device,as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

It may sometimes happen in the operation of the device that the motor will fail to start, in which case it would be necessary to apply manual power to the device in order to re- ICC eee,es5

compress the spring. In such event it is desirable to reduce the amount of work required as much as possible, and as the release of the spring would cause the gear-wheel to turn through more than a half-revolution, owing to the momentum of the parts and the connected motor, a spring-pawl 36, pivoted to the frame, is arranged to engage the teeth of the gear and prevent backward movement of the latter. The energy returned to the spring by the momentum of the parts will thus be saved, and it will then be necessary merely to turn the wheel by means of a crank through the remainder of its revolution.

It will be understood that the motor-pinion may be arranged at any suitable point in the circumference of the operating or mutilated gear and that gears of various forms may be employed. Gears having'internal teeth may be operated with equal satisfaction, and the gear may, if desired, take the form of an internal-toothed rack, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and '7. Referring to these figures, B indicates a rack in the form of an elongated loop having inwardly-projecting teeth along both sides and ends, except at one portion 41 near the forward end of the rack, from which the teeth are removed. This rack is arranged upon the end of a piston-rod 42, which latter, it will be understood, is to be mounted upon a cross-head and operated by a spring, as are the piston-rods in the previously-described figures. This rack is held in its normal position by means of an arm 43 upon a startinglever 44, said arm being normally in the path of a stop 45 upon the rack. In this position it will be seen that the motor-pinion 18 is free to revolve within the mutilated portion of the rack. When the lever 44 is operated, raising the arm 43 into the position shown in dotted lines, the rack 40 is driven forward, the upper row of teeth 46 engaging the pinion and starting the motor. A guide-rail 50 is formed on the lower side of the rack, and between this guide-rail and the rack is a guide-groove 51. This guide-rail is shorter than the rack, and a fixed guide 53 is arranged so as to be opposite the end of the guide-groove when the parts are in their normal position, as shown in Fig. 5. It will be seen that when the rack moves forward the guide-rail will pass beneath the guide. When the rack has traveled over the pinion to its full extent, the pinion will then be actuated by the motor, and as the rear end 47 of the rack will be pressed by the spring against the pinion the latter continuing its rotation in the same direction will cause the rack to move upward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, thus raising the guide-rail above the guide and bringing the lower rack-teeth 48 into engagement with the pinion. The continued rotation of the pinion will then drive the rack backward into its original position, thus compressing the spring. When the rack completes its rearward movement, the guide-rail will pass off of the guide, and the rotation of the pinion will cause the rack to move downward, so that the guide-rail will be below the guide when the pinion is again opposite the mutilated portion of the rack, in which position the rack will be locked by the arm 43.

Instead of having a single movable tooth in the mutilated portion of the gear-wheel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a number of teeth may be arranged upon the rod 29, as shown in Fig. 9. In this figure a sufficient number of teeth are shown to fill the mutilated portion of the gear, and one or all of these teeth may be sharpened for the purpose of centering the pinion.

Where it is desirable to reduce the size of the mutilated gear or to give the motor-pinion a greater number of revolutions in starting withoutincreasing the size of the gear,the mutilated gear may be used as an intermediate gear in a train of gears and the power may be applied to another gear in the train. In such case the mutilated gear would make more than one revolution in a single cycle of operations, and the mutilated portion of the gear would be filled by the teeth (shown in Fig. 9) during the several revolutions of the gear until the completion of the cycle, when said teeth would be withdrawn.

It will be evident that various sources of stored energy may be employed for operating the starting device, such as springs, weights, or compressed air or gases. It is preferable, however, to employ a spring where it is desirable to economize space and preserve a light construction-as, for instance, where the device is to be used upon motor-vehicles and also on account of its simplicity. The preferred form of starting device is shownin Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings; but it .will be understood that the same principles may be embodied in mechanisms of widelydifferent construction for the same purpose, and it is not intended to limit this invention to the form shown in the drawings. It will be understood also that various forms of springs may be employed and that the power of the starting device may be applied to the motor or other mechanism in a variety of ways. The movement of the stopping and releasing lever may also be availed of by suitable connections for switching on the electric current of the igniter or to perform any other function necessary in starting the motor. What is herein referred to as the motor-pinion may be arranged directly upon a motorshaft or connected in any suitable way to the motor or other mechanism which is to be started, and the term spring in the claims, except where a specific form of spring is mentioned, is intended to include any suitable form of spring or equivalent.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a motor-starting device,aspring-actuated gear, a motor-pinion normally out of engagement with said gear, means for releasing the gear, means for mutually engaging said pinion and gear and for automatically disengaging the same, and means for automatically locking said gear when out of engagement with the pinion.

2. In a motor-starting device, a motor-pinion,a spring-actuated gear having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion, said gear being adapted when released to mesh with the pinion, and means for releasing the gear and for automatically locking the gear with the mutilated portion opposite the pinion.

3. In a motor-starting device, a motor-pinion,a spring-actuated gear having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion, said gear being adapted when released to mesh with the pinion, a movable tooth in said mutilated portion normally out of engagement with the pinion, means for moving said tooth to engage with the pinion, means for releasing the gear, and means for locking the gear with the mutilated portion opposite the pinion.

4. In a motor-starting device, a motor-pin.- ion,a spring-actuated gear having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion, said gear being adapted when released to mesh with the pinion, a movable tooth in said mutilated portion normally out of engagement with the pinion, means for moving said tooth into engagement with the pinion, means for releasing the gear, means for automatically retracting the movable tooth, and means for locking the gear with the mutilated portion opposite the pinion.

5. In a motor-starting device, a motor-pinion, a gear normally out of engagement with said pinion, a springactuated piston rod adapted to move said gear through a portion of a revolution, means for engaging said pinion with said gear and for releasing the pistonrod, and means for automatically looking the piston-rod and gear after the latter has made one revolution.

6. In a motor-starting device a motor-pin ion, a spring-actuated gear adapted when released to mesh with and turn said pinion to start the motor and to remain in mesh with said pinion after the motor is self-acting until the spring is restored to its energized state, and means for locking said gear when the spring is reenergized.

7. In a motor-starting device a motor-pinion, a spring-actuated gear adapted when released to mesh with and turn said pinion to start the motor and to remain in mesh with said pinion after the motor is self-acting until the spring is restored to its energized state, and means for automatically locking said gear when the spring is renergized.

8. In a motor-starting device a motor-pinion, a-spring-actuated gear having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion, said gear being adapted when released to mesh with the pinion and means for releasing the gear and for locking the gear after it has made one revolution.

9. In a motor-starting device a motor-pin-' ion a spring-actuated gear having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion, said gear being adapted when released to mesh with the pinion and means for releasing the gear and for automatically locking the gear after it has made one revolution.

10. In a motor-starting device a motor-pinion a gear-wheel adapted to mesh with said pinion and having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion a spring-actuated piston-rod adapted to turn said wheel through a portion of a revolution, and means for looking said Wheel when it has made one revolution.

11. In a motor-starting device a motor-pinion a gear-wheel adapted to mesh with said pinion and having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion a spring-actuated piston-rod adapted to turn said wheel through a portion of a revolution, and means for antomatically locking said wheel when it has made one revolution.

12. In a motor-starting device a motor-pinion, a gear-wheel adapted to mesh with said pinion and having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion; a movable centering-tooth in said mutilated portion adapted to engage the teeth of the pinion to bring the latter in position to mesh with the gear, a spring adapted, when released, to move the gear through a portion of a revolution to start the motor and means for releasing the spring and for automatically locking the spring after the gear has made one revolution.

13. In a motor-starting device a motor-pinion, a gear-wheel adapted to mesh with said pinion and having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion, a movable centering-tooth in said mutilated portion adapted to engage the teeth of the pinion to bring the latter in position to mesh with the gear, a spring adapted when released to move the gear through a portion of a revolution to start the motor, and means for moving the centering-tooth into engagement with the pinion and for releasing the spring, and means for automatically locking the spring after the gear has made one revolution.

14:. In a motor-starting device a motor-pinion, a gear-wheel arranged to mesh with said pinion ,saidwheel having a mutilated portion, a piston-rod connected to said wheel, a spring arranged to move said rod in one direction, and means for locking the wheel when the piston-rod is at the commencement of its stroke and the mutilated portion is opposite the pinion.

1 15. In a motor-starting devicea motor-pinion, a spring-actuated gear-wheel arranged when released to mesh with said pinion, said Wheel having a mutilated portion normally opposite the pinion, a stop on said wheel, a cooperatin g part normally in engagement with said stop when the mutilated portion is opposite the pinion, means for moving said part out of engagement with the stop, and means for automatically returning said part to its normal position.

16. In a motor-starting device, a motor-pun ion, a spring-actuated gear-wheel arranged when released to mesh with said pinion, said wheel having a mutilated portion normally opposite the pinion, a stop connected with said wheel, a part normally in engagement with said stop when the mutilated portion is opposite the pinion, means for moving said part out of engagement with the stop, and a cam upon the wheel arranged to return said part to its normal position.

17. In a device for starting explosive-motors a motor-pinion, a spring-actuated gearwlieel arranged when released to mesh with said pinion, said wheel having a mutilated portion normally opposite the pinion, a stop connected with said wheel, a part normally in engagement with said stop when the mutilated portion is opposite the pinion, means for moving said part out of engagement with the stop, means for preventing the immediate return of said part, and means for automatically returning said part to its normal position after the wheel has made a partial revo lution.

18. In a device for starting explosive-motors a motor-pinion, a spring-actuated gearwheel arranged when released to mesh with said pinion, said wheel having a mutilated portion normally opposite the pinion, a stop connected with said wheel, a part normally in engagement with said stop when the mutilated portion is opposite the pinion, means for moving said part out of engagement with the stop, a cam arranged to prevent the im- -mediate return of said part and a cam arranged to return said part to its normal position after the wheel has made a partial revolution.

19. In a device for starting explosive-motors a motor-pinion, a spring-actuated gearwheel arranged when released to mesh with said pinion, said wheel having a mutilated portion normally opposite the pinion, a stop connected with said wheel, a stop-lever normally in engagement with said stop when the mutilated portion is opposite the pinion, connections between said lever and the reliefvalve of the motor whereby when the lever is moved to release the wheel the relief-valve will be opened, and when the lever is moved in the opposite direction the relief-valve will be closed.

20. In a device for starting explosive-motors a motor-pinion, a spring-actuated gearwheel arranged when released to mesh with said pinion, said wheel having a mutilated portion normally opposite the pinion, a stop connected with said wheel, a stop-lever normally in engagement with said stop when the mutilated portion is opposite the pinion, connections between said lever and the reliefvalve of the motor whereby when the lever is moved to release the wheel the relief-valve will be opened and when returned to its nor mal position the relief-valve will be closed, and means for preventing the immediate return of the lever after the wheel has been released.

21. In a device for starting explosive-motors a motor-pinion, a spring-actuated gearwheel arranged when released to mesh with said pinion, said wheel having a mutilated portion normally opposite the pinion, .a stop connected with said wheel, a stop-lever normally in engagement with said stop when the mutilated portion is opposite the pinion, connections between said lever and the reliefvalve of the motor whereby when the lever is moved to release the wheel the relief will be opened and when returned to its normal position the relief-valve will be closed, means for preventing the immediate return of the lever after the wheel has been released, and means for automatically returning the lever after the wheel has made a portion of a revolution.

22. In a motor-starting device a motor-pinion a gear-wheel adapted to mesh with said pinion and having a mutilated portion normally opposite said pinion, a spring-actuated piston-rod adapted to turn said wheel through a portion of a revolution, a pawl arranged to prevent the backward rotation of said wheel, and means for locking said wheel when it has made one revolution.

23. In a motor-starting device a frame, a motor-pinion arranged within, said frame, a gear-wheel journaled within the frame and having a mutilated portion normally opposite the pinion, a piston-rod connected at one end to the wheel a compression-spring at the opposite end of the rod and means for locking the wheel against rotation when the spring is compressed and the mutilated portion of the wheel is opposite the pinion.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDW'ARD P. COYVLES,

WVitnesses:

W. H. MEUB, WM. G. BALDWIN. 

